Health and Development through physical activity and sport

Regular physical activity:
•
reduces the risk of dying prematurely
•
reduces the risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, which are responsible for one-third of all
deaths
•
reduces the risk of developing heart disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes
•
helps to prevent/reduce hypertension, which affects one-fifth of the world’s adult population
•
helps control weight and lower the risk of becoming obese 
•
helps to prevent/reduce osteoporosis, reducing the risk of hip fracture in women
•
reduces the risk of developing lower back pain can help in the management of painful conditions,
like back pain or knee pain
•
helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints and makes people with chronic,
disabling conditions improve their stamina
•
promotes psychological well-being, reduces stress, anxiety and depression
•
helps prevent or control risky behaviours, especially among children and young people, like
tobacco, alcohol or other substance use, unhealthy diet or violence
5.
How Much Physical Activity is Needed in Order to Improve and
Maintain Health?
Much of the health gain is obtained through of at least 30 minutes of cumulative moderate
physical activity every day.
 
This level of activity can be reached through a broad range of
appropriate and enjoyable physical activities and body movements in people’s daily lives, such as
walking to work, climbing stairs, gardening, dancing, as well as a variety of leisure and recreational
sports

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WHO/NMH/NPH/PAH/03.2
4
Additional health gains
can be obtained by relevant daily moderate to vigorous physical activities of
longer duration: e.g.
i) children and young people need an additional 20 minutes' vigorous physical activity 3 times a
week.
ii) weight control would require at least 60 minutes every day of moderate/vigorous physical
activity).